The Couple
Although Savanna Hickfang, 22, and Matthew Howard, 23, went to the same elementary school, they did not meet until they had a high school Spanish class together at Grapevine High School. Savanna remembers Matt as the class clown who provided levity to a difficult part of the day. Their first date was at a Texas Rangers’ Game. Matt had a good friend whose father was a Texas Rangers coach. This provided Matt and Savanna with great seats for a “group date” with friends. The two flirted over towels and hot dogs. As their courtship continued, they continued to attend Rangers’ games, and they spent many Friday nights at Lake Grapevine watching fireworks. Savanna graduated from the University of North Texas and teaches special education at Northwest ISD. Matt is the Vice President of Operations at Champ Oil.
The Proposal
After they had dated for six years, Matt proposed to Savanna on December 23, 2016. Matt arranged for the couple to spend time in downtown Grapevine to view the Christmas décor and have dinner at Napoli’s, one of their favorite restaurants. As they headed to a gazebo, Matt asked a stranger to take a picture of him and Savanna. As Savanna posed for the camera, Matt knelt down and proposed. She happily agreed. Once the couple reached Napoli’s, they were celebrated by the staff with dessert cocktails.
The Wedding
Savanna and Matt were married on May 26, 2018, at St. Patrick Cathedral in Fort Worth. The reception was held at Paradise Cove in Southlake. The couple wanted their wedding to be both “elegant and laid back.” They entrusted the church with décor for the ceremony, but they created a garden theme for the reception. White tablecloths were used; strategic greenery was placed, and a combination of pink and peach were used as accent colors. Additionally, café lights were used to create a “dreamy and beautiful” aesthetic. The couple danced to “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You” by Franki Valli. Savanna laughs about “messing up one step” of the routine but gives Matt credit for not missing a beat. Because fireworks were such an important part of the couple’s history, they included them after the bouquet toss. The DJ even incorporated Katy Perry’s song “Fireworks” to top off the evening.
